How They Made a $30K Horror Film Look Like a $5M Studio Release | Indie Film Secrets | Podcast

👉🏻 Subscribe now to support our podcast! This week on Off The Lot, we’re diving into the art of microbudget horror with Jack Cox (director) and Cole Hewlett (producer), the team behind The Stickman’s Hollow—a found footage feature made for just $30,000. Told through four chilling perspectives, The Stickman’s Hollow explores the eerie legend of Clara Hall, a child allegedly suffering from demonic possession. Jack and Cole break down how they pulled off a high-concept horror film on a tight budget, from crafting an unsettling found footage aesthetic to navigating the festival circuit. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube! 🎥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ Developing a Concept on a Microbudget – How Jack & Cole turned a short film into a proof of concept for a feature. ✅ Making Found Footage Work – Why treating the camera as a character changes everything. ✅ Filming in Remote Locations – The unique challenges of on-location indie horror. ✅ Creative Budget Hacks – Where to spend, where to save, and how to stretch every dollar. ✅ The Power of Post-Production – How intentional sound design elevated the fear factor. ✅ Festival Strategy & Distribution – How smaller festivals led them to a distributor. 🎞️ Meet the Filmmakers 🎬 Jack Cox (Director) – With a background in animation and voiceover directing (Beyblade Burst, Dragon Quest, The Thaumaturge), Jack returned to his genre filmmaking roots with The Stickman’s Hollow—his first feature film. 🎬 Cole Hewlett (Producer) – Having worked as a Unit Manager on No Men Beyond This Point and a Production Coordinator on Netflix’s Midnight Mass and Fall of the House of Usher, Cole brings big-budget expertise to indie horror. 📢 Watch the Trailer: 🎞️ The Stickman’s Hollow Trailer:    • The Stickman's Hollow - Trailer (4K)   🎙️ Subscribe & Follow Don’t miss a single episode of Off The Lot! New episodes drop every Friday, bringing you indie filmmaking insights, industry interviews, and real-world advice. 🔗 Listen on your favorite platform: 👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1cvmWsU... 👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast... 👉 YouTube:    / @offthelotpodcast   📢 Follow us for more filmmaking content: 📸 Instagram: @offthelotpod 🎬 TikTok: @offthelotpod This episode is packed with insights for indie horror filmmakers, found footage fans, and anyone looking to make a feature on a tight budget. 🎬🔥 #indiefilmhustle #podcast #offthelot #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmmakers #filmmaking101 #story #filmmakingtips #movies #IndieFilm #Filmmaking #OffTheLot #MicrobudgetFilm #NoBudgetFilmmaking #DIYFilmmaking #IndieHorror #HorrorMovies #FilmProduction #FilmmakingTips